CARLTON is 0-3 for just the third time in more than 50 years, but big man Shaun Hampson insists the Blues could still "do anything" this season.
The ruckman/forward says "nobody is panicking" at Visy Park, citing the fact that each of their losses had been to strong teams who they had pushed to the limit in close contests. Carlton's three losses have been by a combined tally of 38 points.
Hampson says the Blues have improved with each match.
"It's still quite positive … and we still feel like we could do anything with this season," he said at Visy Park on Monday afternoon.
"When you look at where we were three rounds in last season, we were premiership favourites. Things can turn around in football very quickly. We could still do anything."
For the first time since 2009, Carlton has conceded at least 100 points in three successive games. On Saturday night at Etihad Stadium, Geelong passed the century late in the third term, just as Richmond did against them at the MCG in round one.
However, Hampson was adamant the Blues were not struggling to understand the defence-first game plan demanded by new coach Mick Malthouse. On the contrary, Hampson echoed the views of many Carlton players in describing the Malthouse method as "quite simple" and "easy to follow".
"We know the game plan, so that's not the problem," he said. "I guess it's each line – the forwards, the mids and the backs – going after what they have to focus on defensively; the forwards keeping it in the front half and stuff.
"We know what we've got to do; we've just got to clean a few things up … and I think things will work out well for us."
The Blues' quest to post their first win gets even tougher on Saturday night when they face West Coast at Patersons Stadium. Carlton has lost its past three games against the Eagles, including the past two in Perth, but by margins of just three and 10 points.
Hampson says these efforts have given the Blues some confidence that they can cause an upset.
"We've always played quite well over there, so I think the boys are pretty confident when we go over there and we like playing over there," he said.
"It's a nice little environment there. A lot of (our) boys are from Perth as well so a lot get to go back and see their families, which is a bit of a boost."
Hampson will likely be required to step up his ruck duties in the absence of the club's first-choice ruckman Matthew Kreuzer, who is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks after breaking a thumb against Geelong on Saturday night.
He believes the Blues can cover the huge loss of Kreuzer through a combination of options including himself, Rob Warnock and key forwards Sam Rowe and Levi Casboult.
Hampson said he had lost "a few kilos" after recovering from having his appendix removed – which sidelined him for the Blues' round-two blockbuster against Collingwood – but that he had lost little, if any, conditioning.
Shaun Hampson is a forward/ruckman in NAB AFL Fantasy. He averaged 64.9 points in 2012. Register your team at our AFL Fantasy Hub.
